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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVANTI SUMMER MUSICFEST TO FEATURE TWO CONCERTS, JULY 29 & 30

Concerts Cap Week-Long Workshop for High School Music Students

The fifth annual AVANTI Summer MusicFest, a week-long workshop for teenage music students taking place July 25-30, 2016, will culminate in two concerts. In both concerts, some of southeast Michigan’s finest young musicians will perform alongside Detroit Symphony Orchestra members who have been serving as their faculty mentors during the workshop.

The FESTIVAL CONCERT on Friday, July 29 at 7:30 PM at Kirk in the Hills, 1340 W Long Lake Rd, Bloomfield Hills, will feature chamber music. On the first half, AVANTI participants will play in small ensembles alongside Detroit Symphony Orchestra players. On the second half, DSO musicians will perform Ludwig Spohr’s Nonet in F major. (A nonet is a work for nine musicians.) The student performers, in addition to playing in band or orchestra, will have been participating all week in AVANTI’s new chamber music program, honing their skills in small ensembles expertly coached by DSO musicians. The Festival Concert is presented by AVANTI and the Chamber Music Society of Detroit.

The FINALE CONCERT will take place at 1:30 PM Saturday, July 30 at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. The concert will include performances by the AVANTI Orchestra, the Symphonic Band and a massed Chorus playing music of Sibelius, Puccini, Bernstein and more, with student musicians sitting side-by-side with Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians in both the orchestra and band. The concert will also feature a performance by the winner of AVANTI’s concerto competition. The Finale Concert will be preceded by a silent auction at 12:30 PM.

Tickets for the Friday night Festival concert are $25 for premier seats and $10 for all other seats for adults. Tickets for Saturday’s Finale concert are $25 for box seats and $10 general admission for all other sections for adults. For both concerts, children under age 18 are admitted free of charge.

Tickets may be purchased by phone at734-756-9499 or online through the AVANTI web site at www.avantisummermusicfest.org.

The AVANTI Summer MusicFest enables music students to take their playing to a new level in a week-long intensive workshop coached by Detroit Symphony musicians. To date, 130 students ages 13-18 from 44 communities across southeast Michigan and southern Ontario have been accepted to participate in the 2016 Workshop. Applications will continue to be accepted until all instrumental sections are full. At this time, the viola, clarinet, flute and trumpet sections have been filled;applicants for all other instruments are still being accepted. (Students may still apply for sections that are full; they will be placed on a waitlist and notified if openings occur.)

Those interested in applying may do so online at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. For more information, call AVANTI coordinator Faith Scholfield at 734-756-9499 or email workshop@avantisummermusicfest.org.

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Conceived by the Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with administrative support from the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit in July, helping and inspiring young musicians to excel in a challenging and supportive environment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVANTI SUMMER MUSICFEST ANNOUNCES 2016 WORKSHOP

New Partnership with Chamber Music Society of Detroit Also Announced

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, January 4, 2016 ― The AVANTI Summer MusicFest has announced its 2016 schedule of workshops and concert finale, taking place from July 25 – 30, 2016. Designed to help music students aged 13 – 18 advance their music skills and take their playing to a new level, the six-day workshop is led by Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians as well as some of southeast Michigan’s finest ensemble directors. This year’s workshop will be held at Groves High School in Beverly Hills. Registration begins Friday, January 8, 2016. For more information, downloadable brochures and online applications, or to request a brochure, call 734-756-9499 or visit www.avantisummermusicfest.org.

As it heads into its fifth anniversary year, AVANTI has also announced a new partnership with the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, which will provide administrative support, including fundraising and marketing.

“We are thrilled to partner with the dedicated and visionary members of the Detroit Symphony who have created one of the finest summer youth training programs I have ever seen,” commented Chamber Music Society of Detroit President Steve Wogaman.

“The AVANTI Summer MusicFest continues to be the most unique and pre-eminent one week summer day camp music training experience for hundreds of talented young people from southeastern Michigan and southern Ontario,” said Linton Bodwin, DSO bassist and President of the AVANTI Board of Directors. “This year brings with it a special sense of excitement as AVANTI partners with one of Michigan’s most distinguished and respected arts organizations, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit. On behalf of the AVANTI Board of Directors, we enthusiastically welcome our new collaborative partner and together look forward to the time next summer when the talented young musicians of this area will learn, grow and excel during one of the most memorable weeks of their lives.”

Students enrolled in the workshop participate daily in large ensembles, small sectional rehearsals, massed chorus and such optional classes as music theory, conducting, jazz instruction, private lessons with DSO musicians and more. The workshop culminates in a side-by-side concert with DSO musicians at Orchestra Hall. Students may begin registering Friday, January 8, 2016. Tuition is $375 for the week; financial aid is available based on need. Enrollment for the 2016 workshop is limited to 200 students and qualified applicants are accepted in the order in which they apply.

AVANTI has appointed the following ensemble directors for 2016:

Orchestra Director: David Reed (Bloomfield Hills High School). “I have been a fan of the Detroit Symphony for almost 50 years. The opportunity for AVANTI 2016 to bring students from the metro area together to work with its incredible musicians is very exciting and I’m thrilled to be part of it.”

Band Director: Michael Steele (Lake Orion High School). “It is a tremendous honor to be part of AVANTI 2016. I am excited to work with so many talented and dedicated young musicians and look forward to an incredible week of making wonderful music.”

Choir Director: Carolyn Gross, Brownell Middle School). “AVANTI recognizes that working with the ear and voice is a great benefit to instrumental students. I’m very excited, once again, to be introducing vocal techniques and ways they can be transferred to the instruments of AVANTI students.”

Conceived by the Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with administrative support from the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit in July, helping and inspiring young musicians to excel in a challenging and supportive environment. For more information, please contact AVANTI at 734-756-9499 or workshop@avantisummermusicfest.org

Detroit (Jan. 6, 2015) – Now entering its fourth year, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest will once again offer a week-long celebration of Metro Detroit’s musical youth from July 20-25, 2015 at Groves High School, Beverly Hills. Registration for musicians aged 13- 18 begins January 9, 2015 and can be filed online or downloaded at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop is $375, early registration fee is $20 ($40 beginning February 1) and financial assistance is available based on need. Participating students will learn from and work with Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians and will receive a complementary pass to both Festival concerts performed by their DSO mentors. Enrollment for 2015 is limited to 200 students and qualified applicants are accepted in the order in which they apply.

“Our goal is simply to share what we love,” said AVANTI co-founder and retired DSO musician Shelley Heron. “Through a comprehensive week of intermediate and advanced music training, we help students move to the next level in performance and also provide a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with new friends.”

Music making is focused in large ensembles – orchestra, string orchestra, and band. In addition, AVANTI students rehearse and work in small sectionals daily with their DSO mentors and take part in a massed chorus. Optional classes such as chamber music, private lessons, jazz instruction, career paths for musicians, and a concerto competition are available to participants.

“I had a wonderful time! The teachers were all so professional and informative! I would highly recommend this program to other students!” said Trinity Lee, AVANTI 2014 student.

The AVANTI Summer MusicFest culminates with a FINALE performance at Orchestra Hall on July 25 by AVANTI students and their DSO mentors for family and friends that is not to be missed!

Conceived and supported by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit in July. For more information please contact AVANTI at 734-756-9499 or workshop@avantisummermusicfest.org.

Paul Shawver, currently Director of Orchestras at Wylie E. Groves High School in Beverley Hills, MI, will be joining AVANTI as Orchestra Director. Groves’ Symphony Orchestra has received straight first division ratings at District IV Band & Orchestra Festival for twelve consecutive years under Mr. Shawver’s direction.

“I am extremely honored and look forward to working hand-in-hand with our world famous Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians to give talented young musician a wonderful educational experience at the very highest level,” said Shawver.

Brian Nutting, Director of Bands at Troy High School will be joining AVANTI as Symphonic Band Director. The University Musical Society, based in Ann Arbor, MI., named Mr. Nutting its 2012 DTE Energy Foundation Educator of the Year in recognition of “his passionate commitment to arts education at Troy High School and to the transformative power of the arts in the community at large.” Most recently, his peers nominated him for induction into the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA).

“Participating in AVANTI’s week-long workshop has facilitated musical growth and inspiration in my students at Troy High School for the past few summers. I’m humbled and excited to be a part of this 2015 AVANTI instructional team,” said Nutting.

Kevin Dewey, Director of Choirs at Henry Ford Community College, will be joining AVANTI for the fourth time and will provide additional training for students as part of the AVANTI Massed Chorus. Holding degrees from Wayne State University, Dewey has been conducting Detroit area choirs for three decades and also brings to the podium experience as a professional vocal and instrumental performer, composer, and arranger.

Dewey said, “I’m very excited at the prospect of working with the fine young musicians of AVANTI once again! It’s always amazing to see and hear the level they can attain chorally, especially considering they all come to AVANTI as instrumental musicians.”

“The metro Detroit area is fortunate to have some very talented and experienced high school music educators,” said Shelley Heron, retired DSO oboist and AVANTI Workshop Director. “We are so very pleased to have these talented and committed directors joining us this summer.”

AVANTI will begin accepting applications January 9, 2015, from music students aged 13-18 that can be filed online or downloaded at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop, July 20 – 25, is $375 and participating students will receive a free pass to all Festival concerts performed by DSO musicians. Enrollment for 2015 is limited to 200 students and applicants are accepted in the order they apply.

Conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit. DSO Musicians have also contributed financial aid to those students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

AVANTI ANNOUNCES 2nd Annual CONCERTO/SOLO COMPETITION

Winning students to perform alongside DSO Musicians

Detroit, MI (March 19, 2014) – AVANTI Summer MusicFest will be holding its second annual Concerto/Solo Competition. To be eligible for the competition, a student must be a participant in the 2014 AVANTI Summer MusicFest Workshop, complete the online concerto application form (www.avantisummermusicfest.org/concerto-competition/), and submit an unedited video of the first movement of a standard concerto or sonata along with a $25 application fee by May 15. Five contestants will move to the live semi-final round on June 18. Two possible winners will be selected to perform alongside Detroit Symphony musicians at AVANTI’s chamber music concerts, Thursday or Friday, July 24-25 and the Workshop FINALE held at Orchestra Hall on Saturday, July 26, 2014.

Last year’s concerto winner, Sofia Pokrzywa, said, “I loved performing with the DSO musicians. How many student musicians have a chance to do that? It was exciting, and I will always remember that concert!”

The AVANTI Summer MusicFest is a weeklong intensive workshop featuring large ensemble performances, sectionals, coachings and private lessons with 45 DSO musicians for Metro Detroit youth. Conceived by and supported by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest Workshop brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit for the third consecutive year, July 21-26, 2014.

Detroit (March 5, 2014) – Now entering its third year, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest will once again offer a week-long celebration of Metro Detroit’s musical youth from July 21-26, 2014 at Derby Middle School, Birmingham. Registration for musicians aged 13-18 years old can be filed online or downloaded at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop is $350, plus a $40 registration fee. Financial assistance is available based on need.

Participating students will learn from and work with Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians and will receive a complementary pass to both Festival concerts performed by their DSO mentors. Enrollment for 2014 is limited to 200 students and qualified applicants are accepted in the order in which they apply.

“Our goal is simply to share what we love,” said AVANTI co-founder and DSO musician Shelley Heron. “Through a comprehensive week of intermediate and advanced music training, we help students move to the next level in performance and also provide a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with new friends.”

Music making is focused in large ensembles – orchestra, string orchestra, and band. In addition, AVANTI students rehearse and work in small sectionals daily with their DSO mentors and take part in a massed chorus. Optional classes such as private lessons, jazz instruction, career paths for musicians, and a concerto competition are available to participants.

“The AVANTI Summer MusicFest is one of my most treasured experiences. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to work with Mr. Ted Oien, Principal Clarinet of the DSO, who helped me greatly improve my technique. I made really good friends and I look forward to AVANTI 2014,” said AVANTI 2013 student William Storey.

AVANTI Summer MusicFest is fortunate to have secured outstanding local talent for its 2014 Workshop. Jonathan Glawe will be joining AVANTI as Orchestra Director and is currently Director of Orchestras at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor. Wendy Matthews is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Wayne State University and will be joining AVANTI as Symphonic Band Director. Kevin Dewey, Director of Choirs at Henry Ford Community College will be joining AVANTI for the third time and will provide additional training for students as part of the AVANTI Massed Chorus.

The AVANTI Summer MusicFest culminates with a FINALE performance on July 26 by AVANTI students and their DSO mentors for family and friends that is not to be missed!

Conceived and supported by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit in July. For more information please contact AVANTI at 313-530-5118 or workshop@avantisummermusicfest.org.

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OR IMMEDIATE RELEASExx

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVANTI SUMMER MUSICFEST JOINED BY LOCAL OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

AVANTI Announces 2014 Workshop Ensemble Directors

Detroit (November 15, 2013) – AVANTI Summer MusicFest is fortunate to have secured outstanding local talent for its 2014 Workshop.

Jonathan Glawe will be joining AVANTI as Orchestra Director and is currently Director of Orchestras at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor. During his tenure at Pioneer H.S., the Music Department was honored as one of the top 3 music programs in the nation in 2010 and earned the honor of being the National GRAMMY Signature School in 2011. “I am looking forward to working with the student musicians of the 2014 AVANTI Summer Music Fest!” says Jonathan. “What a unique experience it is for these young musicians to be coached by and perform with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.”

Wendy Matthews is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Wayne State University and will be joining AVANTI as Symphonic Band Director. She has served as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Wendy’s research on motivation and music learning has been presented at national and international conferences throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. “Music summer camps have been some of the best experiences in my life and I am eager to share in that experience as part of AVANTI,” says Wendy.

Kevin Dewey, Director of Choirs at Henry Ford Community College will be joining AVANTI for the third time and will provide additional training for students as part of the AVANTI Massed Chorus. He has been conducting Detroit area choirs for three decades and also brings to the podium experience as a professional vocal and instrumental performer, composer, and arranger. Holding degrees from Wayne State University, Kevin says “I’m very excited at the prospect of working with the fine young musicians of AVANTI once again! It’s always amazing to see and hear the level they can attain chorally, especially considering they all come to AVANTI as instrumental musicians.”

“We’re fortunate to have secured these very talented and experienced music educators to join AVANTI’s 2014 staff,” said Shelley Heron, DSO oboist and AVANTI Workshop Director. “Workshop planning is well underway and we are headed into another exciting summer of music making.”

AVANTI will begin accepting applications December 6, 2013, from music students aged 13-18 that can be filed on-line or downloaded at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop, July 21 – 26, is $350 and participating students will receive a free pass to all Festival concerts performed by DSO musicians. Enrollment for 2014 is limited to 200 students and applicants are accepted in the order they apply. DSO Musicians have again contributed $5,000 in financial aid for those students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

Conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and collaboratively developed and supported by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Save Our Symphony, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit.

Young Metro Detroit Musicians to Solo at AVANTI

Detroit, MI (July 5th, 2013) – Five amazing young musicians from metro Detroit competed on July 3 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center for a chance to solo on AVANTI’s July Festival Concerts. The five finalists (in alphabetical order) were oboist Spencer Grasl of Brighton, violinist Elsa Koran from Troy, violinist Sofia Pokrzywa from Rochester, euphonium player Jacob Steinberger of Macomb Twp., and cellist Alex Thompson from Oxford.

“Choosing only five finalists was quite difficult,” said Shelley Heron, AVANTI’s Workshop Director. “All of the young musicians involved can be very proud of their accomplishments.”

Pokrzywa, 16, won the competition and will be performing the first movement of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, accompanied by DSO Musicians. “I was so excited to be part of the live final round of the competition,” said Pokrzywa. “All of us have gone from practicing on our own, to creating a video for the first round, and now I feel honored to have the opportunity to share music I love onstage with musicians of the Detroit Symphony.”

This concert will take place on Friday July 26 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Birmingham and will also include Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville.

Runner-up, Grasl, 15, will perform the first movement of Mozart’s Oboe Concerto on Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. alongside DSO Musicians in a chamber music concert in Birmingham’s First United Methodist Church. Grasl, an AVANTI alumnus, said, “AVANTI Summer MusicFest and the DSO have both affected me musically and emotionally, and have encouraged me to work toward achievement.”

AVANTI SUMMER MUSICFEST PRESENTS THREE CONCERTS THIS SUMMER

Lineup includes two programs in Birmingham and FREE finale concert at Orchestra Hall

DETROIT (June 4, 2013) – As part of the AVANTI Summer MusicFest, the Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will perform three concerts for the public this summer, which will include a rare opportunity to hear small ensembles in an intimate spaaace, a presentation of beloved large repertoire, and a fun-filled family afternoon featuring AVANTI Workshop students and DSO Musicians. The performances will take place on Thursday, July 25 and Friday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, and Saturday, July 27 at 1:30 PM at Orchestra Hall.

Concert Details:

Summer Music in the Sanctuary

WHEN: Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, 1589 W. Maple Road, Birmingham

This concert will also feature AVANTI students in three collaborations: AVANTI’s new solo and conducting competitions, and the AVANTI Chorale. These outstanding new programs provide yet another opportunity for AVANTI Workshop students to collaborate with professionals, taking their music-making to the next level.

PROGRAM: AVANTI’s Workshop students will perform side-by-side with DSO Musicians on the Detroit Symphony’s home stage, while a silent auction supporting AVANTI Summer MusicFest takes place.

Complimentary tickets for the Saturday, July 27 Orchestra Hall concert can be obtained online at www.dso.org or at the Max M. Fisher Music Center Box Office beginning June 15. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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Contact: Kevin Good (248) 909-9656, KGood2@comcast.net

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVANTI 2013 ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL STUDENT CONCERTO/SOLO COMPETITION

Winning students to perform alongside DSO Musicians

Detroit, MI (April 26, 2013) – AVANTI Summer MusicFest announces a new Concerto/Solo Competition open to all AVANTI 2013 participants. As part of the second annual AVANTI workshop for students aged 13-18, all attending students have the opportunity to compete to win a performance accompanied by the musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO).

To be eligible for the competition, students must be a participant in the 2013 AVANTI Summer MusicFest (www.avantisummermusicfest.org/the-workshop/), complete the application form and submit an unedited video of the first movement of a standard concerto or sonata along with a $10 fee (www.avantisummermusicfest.org/concerto-competition/). Two possible winners will be selected by DSO musicians to perform alongside them at the AVANTI Chamber Music Concert or Festival Orchestra Concert on Thursday or Friday, July 25-26, 2013.

The AVANTI Summer MusicFest is a weeklong intensive workshop featuring large ensemble performances, sectionals, coachings and private lessons with 46 DSO musicians for approximately 200 Metro Detroit area youth. Conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and collaboratively developed and supported by the DSO and Save Our Symphony, the AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit for the second consecutive year, July 22-27. The first annual AVANTI Concerto/Solo Competition is an example of the innovative and collaborative AVANTI initiatives set to take place in the Metro Detroit area this summer.

Tickets for AVANTI Festival performances will go on sale May 20th. To learn more about the workshop, please visit www.avantisummermusicfest.org.

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For more information, please contact Shelley Heron at 313-530-5118 or email workshop@avantisummermusicfest.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMPRESSIVE LOCAL TALENT JOINS AVANTI

Alan MacNair, Orchestra Director at Troy High School will be joining AVANTI for the first time. In 2007, Alan was one of USA Today’s Top Twenty Teachers in America, and remains the only music teacher to win this award. “I am very excited that the AVANTI 2013 Workshop will have two orchestras this summer allowing for lots of musical fun, and I very much look forward to working with metro Detroit’s young musicians,” said Alan.

Timothy Cibor, Band Director at Seaholm High School has been very active in the Metro Detroit youth ensemble scene having been associated with Detroit Symphony Civic Youth Ensemble Program, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Oakland Youth Philharmonic, and Birmingham Concert Band. Tim will also be joining AVANTI for the first time and directing the Workshop’s Symphonic Band. He said, “I can’t wait to meet our outstanding student musicians this summer in AVANTI!”

Kevin Dewey, Director of Choirs at Henry Ford Community College will be joining AVANTI for the second time and will be provide additional training for students as part of a massed choir. He has been conducting Detroit area choirs for three decades and also brings to the podium experience as a professional vocal and instrumental performer, composer, and arranger. “ AVANTI’s first season was one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career. I am eager to share my love of singing with AVANTI students again,” said Kevin.

“We’re fortunate to have secured these very talented and experienced music educators to join AVANTI’s 2013 staff,” said Shelley Heron, DSO oboist and AVANTI Workshop Director. “ Workshop planning is well underway and we are headed into another exciting summer of music making.”

AVANTI is now accepting applications from music students aged 13-18 which can be filed on-line or downloaded at www.avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop, July 22 – 27, is $350 and participating students will receive a free pass to all Festival concerts performed by DSO musicians. Enrollment for 2013 is limited to 200 students and applicants are accepted in the order they apply. DSO Musicians have again contributed $5,000 in financial aid for those students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

Conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and collaboratively developed and supported by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Save Our Symphony, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit.

MDSO, DSO AND SOS CONTINUE AVANTI FOR METRO DETROITYOUTH

AVANTI 2013 to accept only 200 students

Detroit (Jan 9, 2013) – Following last year’s exciting and successful pilot program, AVANTI Summer MusicFest will once again offer a week-long intensive workshop for young musicians during July 22-27. Applications will be accepted from music students aged 13-18, beginning January 10, 2013, and can be filed on-line or downloaded at avantisummermusicfest.org. Tuition for the six-day workshop is $350 and participating students will receive a free pass to all Festival concerts performed by DSO musicians. Enrollment for 2013 is limited to 200 students and applicants are accepted in the order they apply. DSO Musicians have again contributed $5,000 in financial aid for those students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

“My daughter grew musically at the AVANTI Workshop last summer. Her technique improved and she became a more disciplined musician. The location of the Workshop was great, the teachers were outstanding, and the final concert was phenomenal! I’m very happy to see that AVANTI is back for another year,” says Laura Fogleman, parent of AVANTI student.

In addition to its large orchestra and band ensembles where students rehearse for two hours per day, AVANTI expanded its 2013 Workshop to include a youth string ensemble. As part of the core activities, students spend an additional two hours daily in small sectionals being coached by DSO musicians on their respective instruments. They also receive additional training as part of a massed choir. Optional classes such as conducting and instrument care are also available.

“Last summer was a wonderful growth experience for everyone who participated,” said Ken Thompkins, DSO’s Principal Trombone. Marissa Casano, a young flutist at Troy High School said, “When I went back to the school in September, I found that people were complimenting me on my playing, including my band director!”

The week will culminate on July 27 with a celebration taking place at the DSO’s historic Orchestra Hall, lauded for its amazing acoustics. Students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of performing this free concert alongside DSO musicians for family and friends on this world-renowned stage.

“AVANTI is a great addition to Detroit’s music education scene,” said DSO President and CEO Anne Parsons. “The entrepreneurialism of DSO musicians in developing AVANTI is offering music students the opportunity to strengthen their skills through hands-on, summer study under the direction of our extremely talented musicians. It’s a win-win-win for area music students, metro Detroit, and members of the DSO.”

Conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and collaboratively developed and supported by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Save Our Symphony, AVANTI Summer MusicFest brings the absolute best in classical music performance and instruction to Metro Detroit in July.

AVANTI WORKSHOP PAIRS YOUNG MUSICIANS WITH DSO:

SUMMER MUSICFEST CONCERTS ENTERTAIN AND EDUCATE

Detroit, MI July 9, 2012 – Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (MDSO) will perform two evening concerts at the First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham (1669 W. Maple Road, Birmingham) on July 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. The concerts feature intimate chamber works by Mozart, Barber and Hanson on Thursday evening, and orchestral works by Copland, Beethoven and Mozart on Friday evening. The concerts are an important part of the AVANTI Summer MusicFest, an exciting collaboration between the MDSO, the DSO, and Save Our Symphony (SOS).

Approximately 150 local music students, ages 14 to 18, will complete a week of intense study and instruction under the tutelage of approximately 50 DSO musicians July 16-21. “The AVANTI experience will be a great opportunity for these kids,” said Larry Hutchinson, DSO Bass player and member of the DSO’s Education Committee.”Detroit Symphony Musicians teach the students and sit side- by-side with them in ensemble rehearsals during the day. Then the students get to hear the MDSO perform chamber and orchestral music Thursday and Friday evenings. There aren’t too many places where teaching and leading by example are that immediate and direct.”

In addition to the two AVANTIi Festival concerts, young musicians from Birmingham, Troy, Grosse Pointe, Ann Arbor and many other area communities will perform a free concert alongside musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on July 21 at 1:30 p.m. at Orchestra Hall (3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit). The concert takes place after a week of rigorous workshops at Derby Middle School in Birmingham, offered through the inaugural AVANTI Summer MusicFest. Ticket prices for AVANTI concerts at First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham are $50, $35 and $25 and may be purchased online at www.dso.org, or at the door. Proceeds will support the AVANTI Summer MusicFest. To reserve complimentary tickets for the July 21 concert at Orchestra Hall, or for further information please visit www.dso.org.

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About AVANTI Summer MusicFest AVANTI Summer MusicFest (www.avantisummermusicfest .org) is Michigan’s newest summer music festival. The festival enables music students to take their playing to a new level in a weeklong workshop coached by the MDSO, and it also presents summer concerts of the highest caliber to metro Detroit audiences. AVANTI Summer MusicFest is a pilot project conceived by The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and collaboratively developed and supported by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Save Our Symphony

Contact: Kevin Good (248) 909-9656, KGood2@comcast.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVANTI SUMMER MUSICFEST PRESENTS THREE CONCERTS IN JULY

Detroit 5/4/2012 – As part of the new AVANTI Summer MusicFest, the Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) will perform two concerts at First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham (1669 West Maple Rd., Birmingham), on Thursday, July 19 and Friday, July 20, at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m., AVANTI students will perform alongside DSO musicians on the DSO’s venerable stage at Orchestra Hall.

Thursday’s concert in Birmingham will feature chamber ensembles of DSO musicians. The program includes one of Mozart’s most beloved works, the Clarinet Quintet with Ted Oien, DSO Principal Clarinet; Barber’s Quartet for Strings; and Hanson’s lush Serenade for Flute, Harp, and Strings. The Serenade will showcase DSO Principal Harp Patricia Masri-Fletcher and Flutist Jeffery Zook. They will be joined in the performance by Hai Xin Wu and Laurie Goldman on violin, violist Hang Su, cellist Paul Wingert and Rick Robinson, double bass.

Friday’s concert at the same location features the Avanti Festival Orchestra performing such popular classical standards as Mozart’s Overture to Marriage of Figaro, Copland’s Quiet City and Mozart’s Symphony No. 40. The concert soloists will be DSO musicians, Shelley Heron on English Horn and Trumpeter Steve Anderson, with Clark Suttle conducting.

The third festival concert to be held at Orchestra Hall in Detroit marks the culmination of AVANTI 2012. AVANTI students aged 14-18 will have a chance show off their week’s accomplishments when they join with DSO musicians on stage for a wrap-up concert and reception.

Ticket prices for the July 19-20 Birmingham concerts are $50, $35 and $25 and can be purchased online at www.dso.org or at the Max M. Fisher Music Center Box Office (3711 Woodward Ave.) by calling 313.576.5111.

Complimentary tickets for the Saturday, July 21 Orchestra Hall concert can aso be obtained online at www.dso.org or at the Max M. Fisher Music Center Box Office. Tickets will also be available at the door.

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Detroit, (April 27, 2012)–The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) the Musicians of the Detroit Symphony (MDSO) and community supporters (SOS) will present a fundraising concert and silent auction for the AVANTI Summer MusicFest on Sunday, May 20 from 1-4 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Grosse Pointe Woods. The program features a brass quintet, string quartet and other chamber ensembles comprised of DSO musicians (who will be volunteering their services) as well as friends, students and DSO coaches.

The concert is dedicated to the late Vesna Dulbic, who owned and operated the Vienna Café in Grosse Pointe Park. Dulbic embodied the spirit of bringing children and music together, the same spirit behind AVANTI Summer MusicFest. She lost her battle with cancer on March 31, 2010. This benefit concert in her honor will help her spirit live on in the lives of children touched by AVANTI. All production and facility costs, artists, silent auction items and food have been donated with all proceeds going to benefit AVANTI Summer MusicFest. An AVANTI scholarship has been established in Vesna’s name.

“My son, who is looking forward to attending AVANTI this summer for violin, performed first for Vesna’s customers on a rickety piano in the corner of Vesna’s café. She would clap her hands, sweetly announce his name to her customers, and then everyone would stop eating and listen to him play. She was always the first to applaud,” said Denise Neville, whose son, Ryan Neville, will be playing piano at the concert.

AVANTI Summer MusicFest is a six-day intensive summer workshop (Derby Middle School, Birmingham, July 16-20) for young musicians ages 14-18, who will have the opportunity to train with DSO musicians and play their final concert, July 21, on stage at Orchestra Hall. AVANTI will also hold two summer festival concerts, July 19 and 20 at First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham for the community and AVANTI students.

AVANTI would like to acknowledge Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church for their support of the program and for graciously hosting the inaugural fundraising concert for this important new educational initiative. AVANTI is accepting donations toward the remaining costs of the music festival. Admission to the fundraising concert on Sunday, May 20 is free. Silent auction items will be posted on the AVANTI website by May 14, 2012. Donors and companies interested in supporting AVANTI should visit www.avantisummermusicfest.org or call 313-530-5118.

MDSO, DSO, SOS ANNOUNCE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR METRO DETROIT YOUTH

Detroit, (Feb. 15, 2012) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), The Musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (MDSO) and Save Our Symphony (SOS) have announced a six-day intensive summer experience for young musicians ages 14-18, who will have the opportunity to train with DSO musicians. Avanti Summer MusicFest is scheduled for July 16-21, 2012 at Derby Middle School in Birmingham, Mich. and will culminate in a live student performance on the world-renowned stage at historic Orchestra Hall.

“Avanti is yet another example of the progressive way in which all the components of the DSO are uniting. This initiative, coming from the musicians, shows how much all of us care about the musical education of our city’s young people,” said DSO Music Director Leonard Slatkin. “With coaching, master classes, sectional rehearsals and performances, I believe that we are truly paving a path to the future.”

Open to 140 students, the program is composed of a band and an orchestra, in which students will rehearse two hours each day. Students will spend an additional two hours daily in small sectionals led by DSO musicians on their respective instruments.

Kevin Good, a 33-year veteran trumpeter with the DSO said, “This provides a much-needed local camp for music students during the summer break. We’re excited about reaching young performers who have had little to no experience with the DSO, but who have studied music in their schools and want to take it to another level.”

Open enrollment for Avanti’s workshop is currently underway and will close as each instrument section is filled. Tuition for the workshop is $300. Interested parents, students or teachers can visit www.avantisummermusicfest.org to download application forms. Applications must be fully completed and will be considered in the order in which they are received. DSO musicians contributed $5,000 to help with financial aid to students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

SOS President Judy Doyle said, “This project is a demonstration of the different parties within the DSO and the community coming together, working collaboratively, respectfully and admiring what each party brings to the table. By partnering with the community on this pilot, the musicians and the DSO created a new and fresh model for connecting with its public.” The success of Avanti this July will lay the foundation for future summer festival workshops and concerts along with additional partnership opportunities between the MDSO, the DSO and the community.

Donors wishing to participate in funding the workshop or financial aid will find more information at www.avantisummermusicfest.org.or by calling 313-530-5118.